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Artisan
Folk / A'cappella / Acoustic

"Artisan - Vocal harmony from the UK"

Huddersfield, Yorkshire
United Kingdom

Profile Views:  5847




Last Login:  8/7/2008
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   Contacting Artisan

 MySpace URL: 
  http://www.myspace.com/artisanharmony  

   Artisan: General Info
Member Since11/20/2006
Band Websiteartisan-harmony.com
Band MembersJacey Bedford, Brian Bedford, Hilary Spencer. Brian Bedford is the trio's resident songwriter, responsible for writing some of Artisan's most-requested songs (such as 'What's the Use of Wings.')
InfluencesNone, really. We were so green when we started singing together that we'd barely heard of anyone else in the same field. I guess we really harkened back to what we'd listened to when we were growing up - so the harmonies of the Hollies and the Beatles and maybe even the Beach Boys and the Mamas and the Papas were much more in our musical consciousness than vocal folk groups like English Tapestry (who were off the scene before we came on it) and the Watersons. Now we seem to be influencing other people - which is great!
Sounds LikeYou can go to www.jacey-bedford.com to see and hear the artists on Jacey's folk agency - Jacey Bedford Tour Management. None of them sound like Artisan - though all of them are nice!
Record LabelBedspring Music - http://www.bedspringmusic.co.uk
Type of LabelIndie




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   About Artisan

1985 - 2005 - with all the back-catalogue of albums available now at www.artisan-harmony.com

Original songs, glorious harmonies and a dash of humour. The phenomenon that was Artisan first hit the unsuspecting British public in 1985. They rapidly did the rounds, being invited to play at almost every major festival and folk club in the UK. In 1989, the pressure of performing work was so great that they kicked their day jobs in the head and took to the road as full-time musos and sang for their supper until November 2005, playing in the UK and in Belgium and Germany, too. In 1994 they made their first foray across the Atlantic which led to regular tours and festivals such as Winnipeg, Vancouver, Owen Sound Summerfolk, Bethlehem Musikfest and the Philadelphia Folk Festival. They toured Australia, via Hong Kong in Spring 2000. Their final US and Canadian tour was summer of 2005 and their final ever concert was 20th November 2005 in the UK - recorded for posterityand released on DVD in both European and North American formats.

Their eleven CDs have been given airplay all over the world and copies are still available, as is their Farewell Concert DVD, direct from Artisan's website at www.artisan-harmony.com or by telephoning (UK) 01484 606230. (From outside the UK dial +44 1484 606230)

So, what made Artisan so different from any other a cappella outfit? Personality. On stage pizazz! Heart and Soul and some very good songs. Artisan sang about real people and real issues - 'us' songs instead of 'me' songs. Emotions include scepticism, hope, wonder, anger, love, fear, longing, and a lot of — LOT OF — humour!

Brian Bedford was Artisan's song writer. You'll hear his songs sung by others too, notably "Breathing Space," covered by Black Voices and "What's the Use of Wings" which has been recorded by artists as diverse as Vin Garbutt, the John Wright Band and The Philadelphia Gay Men's Choir. Brian's song writing has been described as "witty and apposite," and "finely crafted," but his real success lies in the broad appeal of the words and the accessibility of the tunes. He's a song writer of the people in no uncertain terms.

And what about the singing? Artisan's three voices, Hilary Spencer, Jacey Bedford and Brian Bedford, have three very different but complimentary sounds.

Artisan received many accolades over the years including two CARAs (Contemporary A cappella Recording Awards)—in fact they were nominated four times in four consecutive years and won twice, once for Best Song and the other for Best CD—and awards from the British Arts Council and Yorkshire Arts, for whom they were Musicians in Residence each consecutive year from 1990 to 2005.


   Artisan's Friend Space (Top 28)
Artisan has 495 friends.
 Tanglefoot 


 Tanglefoot 


 Mad Agnes 


 The Outside Track 


 William Pint & Felicia Dale 


 Eileen McGann 


 Tania Opland 


 Dan McKinnon 


 Birdsedge Live! 


 Cara Luft 


 James Keelaghan 


 cloudstreet 


 Andy Hillhouse 


 Jaime RT 


 John Tams 


 Ailie Robertson 


 Felicia 


 Tom Bliss 


 Vin Garbutt 


 Norah 


 Jacey Bedford Tour Management 


 Carmichael 


 FAUSTUS 


 Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer 


 Skynte 


 Ben Ruddlesden 


 Folkandroots 


 the Music Well 





Artisan's Friends Comments
Displaying 29 of 29 comments  ( View All | Add Comment )
Roos





Jul 3 2008 5:24 PM

Thank you for the music and for the friendship
Best wishes, Roos
Toein’ in the Dark





Feb 25 2008 7:08 PM

Thanks for being our friends. Enjoying listening to your music.

Cheers!
Chris Rockcliffe - "Gan Canny"





Jul 1 2008 10:31 PM

Thanks for your friendship. Please leave a comment in tribute to Chris.
regards
Peter R
Alquimia Band





Jun 29 2008 10:25 PM

hi Artisan,

Thanks for the friend request,
you have great voices and tunes.

Alquimia
Ruby Muse





May 23 2008 6:25 PM

hello! thanx for linking up. great voices and harmonies! good luck with all you are working for. x
DF Tribute





May 23 2008 7:48 PM

Thank you for being a part of the Dan Fogelberg tribute.
Patricia





May 24 2008 4:25 AM

Thanks for the add. You are the best of the best. Others will have to aim high & work hard to come close to the brilliance you created. Wish you weren't an ocean away.
Warm regards,
Patricia
(& Bill & Alex, of course)
daina





May 24 2008 6:02 PM

Thanks for the add, Best Wishes, Daina.
Fiddlebix





Feb 5 2008 10:03 PM

Hey, thanks for the add guys!!

...all the best...

Baz & Chloe.
Simon Stephenson


Is Online


Jan 24 2008 5:04 PM

Thanks very much indeed for the comment. Lovely to see you guys up hear always a fan of the songwriting and singing!! Am going to put some trad and own songs up soon!!

Thanks a lot

Simon
Jacey Bedford Tour Management





Dec 27 2007 3:33 PM

Link!
:-)
Jacey
Birdsedge Live!





Dec 10 2007 5:02 PM

Artisan and Birdsedge Live go way back. Great to be partnered on myspace
Carmichael





Sep 17 2007 2:36 PM

Hi Brian and Jacey, please have a listen to our tracks that we've added.
I hope you are well? Mark
James and Steve





Jul 15 2007 2:38 PM

Hi Jacey, Thanks for putting us on last night! we really enjoyed the evening! James and Steve
Tania Opland





Jun 26 2007 6:20 PM

Glad we got a chance to see all of you while we were in the UK. Hugs all around.
~Tania (& Mike, of course!)
You Can't Touch This!





May 9 2007 10:04 PM

Hi, thanks for accepting my add.
I was looking you up to find out your history to use you as an influence for my A-level composition, n this was the first time i learnt that artisan is no more! :(

Does that mean no more showman snowman and stuffing the turkey at christmas? - i loved coming to see you, you always put on a really entertaining show and i was dissapointed when i couldn't see you last yr. - Even more now i know that was your last concert as Artisan.

Thankyou for your entertainment.
Your humorous lyrics were unique and will remain in our family's cd collection for a long time to come!

:-)

Becca
xxx
Bothy Folk Club





Apr 15 2007 6:47 PM

Good to have you as our MySpace friends!

Best wishes
from
The Bothy
Primaeval





Apr 11 2007 8:46 PM

Hi Artisan
Thanks for the link
Best wishes
Barb Jungr





Apr 7 2007 10:11 AM

Thank you for coming to my page and adding me to your lists. If you have a second do listen to the new album, and come along to a show. Thanks. Love Barb xxx
Christine Collister





Apr 5 2007 10:01 AM

Hello!

Christine Collister here saying thanks for looking at my page and making me
one of your friends.
David Stevenson


Is Online


Feb 7 2007 4:43 PM

Hello Brian and Jacey

Thanks for the add and nice to meet you again here. It's a long time now since we recorded Unfinished Lace at Bird's Edge and it's taken me and my music a long way since - so thank you.

Everything's ready for the next one - so I'll be in touch!

All the best

David
William Pint & Felicia Dale





Dec 11 2006 7:18 PM

Hello, and thanks for leading us into the world of MySpace -- this is fun!
Hope all is well in lovely Yorkshire.
xoxo
William, Felicia, and Ranzo, the red-bellied poicephalus
Mick West





Nov 30 2006 1:42 AM

Delighted to be a tiny part of your space.I've admired your voices for some time!
Best wishes from up here.Mick..










Sarah Jones





Nov 29 2006 8:55 AM

Hi Brian, Jacey and Hilary, great to hear from you. You guys are ace! Soo glad that I heard you sing. Good luck with your new ventures. The Folk scene is richer for the fact that you three folks are around. Best wishes, Sarah xx
Kate Green





Nov 24 2006 7:18 PM

Hello Brian and Jacey!!

Great to see you all on Myspace. Thanks for the request - of course I'll be your friend (as are Raymond and Patrick by the way)! Very happy with the CD so thanks again, I'll send a copy in the post.

All the very best to you both,

Love

Kate XX
Ian Giles





Nov 23 2006 1:24 AM

Wot-ho chaps,
Havn't seen any of you in absolutely ages. I'm still in Oxford and living above another pub!!!!! So if ever you are around this area.........
Great to be in touch again.
All the very best,
Ian.
Ciaran Dorris





Nov 23 2006 12:58 AM

Great to have you on MySpace, guys!! There's been an empty space to fill since you became dysfunctional and I can't wait for the first reunion tour- but play hard to get, though- Abba were offered a billion!!!

Slainte,

Ciaran
Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer





Nov 21 2006 2:29 PM

Yay! Welcome to myspace, ourspace, cyberspace!
Hope you get lots of plays and adds!
:)
Vicki & Jonny
Tom Bliss





Nov 21 2006 7:46 AM

At last I'm first on someone's list! Welcome to MySpace :-)
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